Vital Signs: Cooling Demand for Durable Goods

Demand for long-lasting goods has been slowing down. New orders for durable goods — items expected to last at least three years — grew by 4.6% in May compared with a year earlier, more slowly than during April. Excluding volatile transportation items such as airplanes and cars, orders rose just 3.8% from the previous year, the slowest rate of growth since 2009. The manufacturing sector was an area of strength earlier in the recovery but has cooled amid global economic uncertainty.